#based on previous language polls

[tribble-ations]

Interpret “your language” however you want. It can be your native language, your most spoken language, the language you have the greatest cultural connection to, whatever.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Fall Out Boy - Immortals 2014

Big Hero 6 is a 2014 animated Disney superhero film, loosely based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Big Hero 6 created by Man of Action. The film tells the story of Hiro Hamada, a young robotics prodigy and Baymax, a healthcare robot invented by his late brother, Tadashi. They form a superhero team to combat a supervillain responsible for stealing Hiro's tech. It grossed over $657.8 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing animated film of 2014. Big Hero 6 received seven nominations for Annie Awards and won one, and also received a Golden Globe nomination. At the 87th Academy Awards, the film won Best Animated Feature.

"Immortals" is a song written and recorded by American rockband Fall Out Boy for Big Hero 6. An alternative version appears on the band's sixth studio album American Beauty/American Psycho (2015). The "End Credits" single version was released by Walt Disney Records on October 14, 2014, as a digital download. As of February 8, 2016, "Immortals" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for one million units sold. The Italian version was performed by Patrick Stump, even though he did not speak the language.

"Immortals" received a total of 74,9% yes votes! Previous Fall Out Boy polls: #427 "Centuries".

[twistedteatime]

Super Soldier Theater: Jaws

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader, Stucky x Reader. It's not specific. No pronouns assigned to Reader past "you".

Summary: Bucky Barnes missed out on a lot while being controlled by HYDRA. Steve Rogers missed out on even more being frozen in ice. Since Sam has made it his mission to update them on music, you decide that it's your job to update them on what they've missed out on in cinema.

Chapter Summary: The education of Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers on movies they missed out on continues. This time they bring it on themselves and learn no one is exempt and why a bigger boat is needed. They also learn about MythBusters.

Word Count: 8K

Warnings: Mild Language (Steve will deal), All the standard warnings that come with a movie about a giant shark eating people, Bucky and Steve being very upset about what people the shark does and does not eat, shark facts, shark myths, discussion of the USS Indianapolis, possibly traumatizing two PTSD suffering WWII vets more than they already are, other stuff I probably forgot.

A/N: It took me forever to find that gif. Poll for the next movie is at the end. If you notice typos along the line of he instead of the or is instead of his, like a word out of place. It's my keyboard. I do not support my work being put into AI in any fashion.

Ao3 Link: Super Soldier Theater: Jaws

Series Masterlist🍿MASTER Masterlist

Previous Movie: Jurassic Park Next Movie: The Little Mermaid (1989)

You debated for a few days over what movie to show Steve and Bucky next. The options were endless but ultimately they made the decision for you. Well, Steve did.

“Where does ‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat’ come from?” he asked as he walked into the living room with Bucky, the ex-assassin in his new black “Jurassic Park” T-shirt.

You looked at Steve. Then you realized he was serious. Well, that settled that. If he was gonna ask, you were gonna show.

“Are you afraid of water?” you asked and both he and Bucky looked at each other then looked at you.

“No.” They both answered.

“The ocean?”

“Well, I’m not…really fond of crashing into it.” Steve said and you nodded, “Why?”

“Go get the snacks. We’re watching Jaws tonight.” You answered and Bucky thought for a moment.

“Isn’t that the man-eating shark movie Spielberg directed?” he asked and you nodded.

“Yep.”

Several minutes later you were back in your accustomed spot between Bucky and Steve with Alpine sitting on the back of the couch behind you. The lights were shut off, your feet were propped up as usual, and you took a breath in before addressing them both. You knew you’d need to.

“Okay. This movie was made in 1975. It is based off of a novel from 1974. I haven’t read the book in its entirety, but I do know other things about the movie that will answer your questions. There are sequels to this movie but…we are not talking about those. Same rules as before. You can talk and ask questions, but if I tell you to watch, just watch. This is a different movie than Jurassic Park. Sharks are real animals and the author of the book actually felt regret for writing the book later in his life due to the aftermath that he felt that his book and this movie caused. It is a classic and the source of more than one movie reference you should know. Some of it may be upsetting to you both. Okay?”

They both nodded, confused and a bit concerned but watched the screen when you hit play. You kept the remote in your hand. You knew too well you’d need it…and you did.

It wasn’t when Bucky spoke, “You’re not drunk. Sure you’re not drunk.”

It was after that when the girl took her shirt off and Steve spoke.

“Is she naked?” he asked and you nodded.

“It’s the seventies and they’re going skinny dipping.” You answered and Bucky looked at you.

“In shark infested water?”

“They don’t know it’s shark infested just yet.” You answered and hit play again, both snickering when the guy fell face first down the sand dune and struggled to undress himself.

Bucky shook his head , “If you can’t walk or undress yourself how’d you expect to swim or do anything else?”

“Bucky!” Steve scolded and Bucky just looked at him, eyebrow raised as he put a piece of caramel popcorn into his mouth, “They wouldn’t show that.”

“Not in your day.” You replied and they both looked at you as you hit play again.

They both watched as the underwater shots zeroed in on the girl before jumping and staring wide eyed as the attack began. Mouths dropped open and then they gestured at the screen as it showed the guy passed out on the beach. You paused.

“Get it out of your systems.” You said.

“How’d you sleep through that?!” Steve asked looking at you.

“Lots of alcohol. It’s not over yet. You good?” You asked them both and they nodded so you hit play.

Bucky just watched in horror, “How’s she still alive?”

Steve spoke when she was dragged under the water, “Well she’s not now.”

They watched as the scene shifted to the police chief Brody and his family. They were quiet. At last until Brody’s son asked to go swimming.

“NO!” both said at the same time as Brody talked about the body washing up.

“Wait…they found her already?” Bucky asked and you rewound a few seconds and Steve nodded then angrily gestured at the screen causing Bucky to nod, “Oh…she’s just missing.”

“There he goes swimming.” He said and Bucky shook his head when Brody scoffed about staying safe in the town.

“Doesn’t matter what a town is like. Anywhere can be dangerous.” He said and Steve shook his head when they saw who it was that called the girl in as missing.

“He’s a great witness.”

You didn’t have time to respond as the deputy quickly found the body. What was left of it. Crawling with crabs.

They both just looked at the screen in horror. Horror that continued when the deputy returned to tell Brody about the boy scout merit badge swim. You knew exactly what was going to happen.

“No! No no no no no!” They both said shaking their heads.

You didn’t have the heart to tell them and knew they were going to have a new John Hammond figure very soon when the mayor made an appearance. They knew it, too, when he showed up with his cronies on the ferry and started on about shutting down the beaches.

“Rushing into something serious? A girl was eaten by a shark at your beach!” Steve said and Bucky groaned as he shook his head.

“Typical asshole.” He said and you nodded.

“You’re not wrong.” You answered while Steve scowled, “I’m surprised you’re not yelling at him.”

“He’s right.” Steve said while scowling, “Does the mayor get eaten?”

“You know I’m not telling you who or who doesn’t get eaten, Steve.”  You answered and he sighed before letting you hit play.

When the next scene zeroed in on the boy you prepared yourself. The tension was clear on their faces when the one swimmer surfaced from under the woman floating. They jumped when the couple playing in the water resulted in the girl screaming. Both were wound up tight and silent. Especially when they showed the boy on the raft again.

“They’re not…” Steve started and you remained quiet.

Then the dog disappeared.

“It’s there. It ate the dog!” Bucky whispered, eyes glued to the screen and jumped a bit when Alpine meowed, “I know you don’t care.”

“Oh no…it’s the music. NO!!” Steve started and Bucky joined him when the attack happened.

“NO!!! NOT THE KID! NOO!”

“NO! NO! IT ATE THE KID!!”

Alpine went into Bucky’s lap while you worked on calming Steve down and then Bucky. You had your work cut out for you. So did Alpine.

“It’s okay. It’s a movie. It’s a movie.” You soothed and they took a moment before nodding and zeroing in on the two beings they blamed it all on.

“That shark has to go.” Bucky scowled and Steve nodded.

“The mayor too.” He said and they both scowled at the reward offered, “It ate two people and you’re offering a 3000-dollar reward for something that ate a child?”

You pulled your phone out to calculate the difference, “That’s under 20 grand in today’s money.”

“It ate a kid! You should do it for free!” Steve said and you instantly had to pause again.

“It’s not the town offering the reward. It’s the kid’s mom.” You explained and they both calmed and nodded.

“Oh.”

They weren’t calm for long and you hit pause almost immediately after hitting play again when the motel owner started denying it was a shark.

“WHAT ELSE DOES THAT?!” Bucky asked and you just hit play again deciding to let them ride out their emotions about the town, its business owners, the mayor, and everyone else.

“A small story?!”

“You’re gonna bury it with the ads on the back?!”

“You hope they don’t close the beaches?!”

“All you people care about is money!”

“At least she doesn’t think the joke’s funny. Okay maybe she doesn’t need to get eaten.” Bucky said with a scowl while Alpine just looked up at you from your lap.

“I know, Al. Just…let them go.” You said quietly to her while they both continued grumbling and arguing with the new focus of their intense ire.

“Are you going to close the beaches?”

“Yes. We are.”

“Good!” Both Steve and Bucky said and groaned as the room began complaining.

You soothed Alpine and lowered the volume down lower when you saw the shark hunter Quint’s hand raise up to the chalkboard. They flinched and grimaced anyway being well aware of what the sound was.

They listened to Quint’s speech and then just scowled at the mayor. Yeah, they absolutely detested the mayor. You could see the gears turning in their heads.

“Who’s he work for?” Bucky asked, eyes narrowed and Steve looked at you for an answer…then Bucky did.

You knew damn well you’d have to give them one, “Okay…this isn’t in the movie. The book is different from the movie as is usually the case. In the book the mayor is in hock up to his ears to the mafia. They’re the ones pressuring him to keep the beaches open so they don’t lose money. In this he’s just a sleazy businessman.”

“He’d make good chum bait.” Bucky said and Steve shook his head in response, “He would.”

You hit play again and quickly both agreed with Brody yelling at his kids to get out of the boat.

“You have horrible maternal instincts, ma’am.” Steve said in response to Brody’s wife disagreeing with getting the kids away from the water and you paused the movie, “My mother would have moved us to a desert.”

Bucky had to think for a moment before responding, “If you’d have had more money back then I think she’d have tried anyway.”

“Well…yeah.” Steve nodded and thought wistfully for a moment before thinking, “I’m surprised she let me learn how to swim at all.”

“Well…technically she didn’t. I just taught you anyway.” Bucky said and Steve looked at him, “Yeah…I didn’t exactly tell her where we were going.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t get eaten by anything.” He replied and you just shook your head.

“Can we continue?” you asked and they both looked at you, the screen, and then nodded causing them to laugh when Brody’s wife changed her mind at seeing a picture in the book.

The laughter was soon replaced with shaking their head as the two fishermen chucked in one’s wife’s holiday roast.

“Someone is in a lot of trouble.” Bucky said and you and Steve both nodded, but for separate reasons they soon learned after grimacing at the photos of shark attack bites.

“I think I understand why the bigger boat thing is a thing.” Steve said after the shark ripped the dock off, “Swim, Charlie, swim!”

He and Bucky both relaxed after Charlie made it safely back onto the dock. Yet Bucky sat there thinking about it for a moment.

“His wife is probably going to try feeding him to the shark once she finds out what he did with her roast.”

You just chuckled and shook your head. Their next question came when Hooper arrived in the form of: “Is he gonna get eaten?” from Steve.

Bucky just nodded in agreement with Steve, “Yeah, everyone they focus on so far gets attacked or eaten ‘cept Brody and Mayor Chum Bucket.”

“BUCKY!” Steve scolded and Bucky just blinked at him.

“What?” asked and you just shushed them both.

“Just watch. They’ll explain who he is.” You said and they watched the chaos on the docks, including Hooper telling the fishermen that they were going to overload a boat before they acted like assholes to him when he asked a simple question.

Then you paused the movie due to laughing with Bucky as Steve spoke at the same time Hooper did saying almost the same exact thing.

“Well they’re all gonna get eaten.” Steve said then laughed with the two of you, Bucky pointing at the screen.

“I like him.” Bucky said and laughed again when Hooper walked into where Brody was and doubled down on how none of the men in the one boat were getting out of the harbor alive before introducing himself, “OH! He’s the shark guy they called.”

“He’s gonna get eaten.” Steve said and you just looked at him only for him to point at the screen, “Unpause it. Please.”

You just shook your head at him and hit play once more. They watched the ensuing chaos on the water with the multiple fishermen. Several comments were made about safety, stupidity, and then the use of explosives.

“Are they serious?” Bucky asked and you looked at him, “They’re chumming, one doesn’t know what that is, and the other is throwing explosives into the water. They’re just setting up a buffet. That shark pulled the dock off. It’s probably big enough to eat one of those boats whole.”

“You have no idea…” you thought to yourself and just smiled and gestured at the screen for him to keep watching as Hooper examined the remains of the first victim.

“Well he’s not happy.” Steve said as Hooper examined the remains and started scolding people about calling it a boating accident, “He’s definitely getting eaten.”

“He has sense. Of course he is.” Bucky agreed and looked at the screen in disbelief when it showed a shark that the fishermen had caught, “That’s way too small.”

“The crazy guy knows it.” Steve said and you nodded then waited for them to scowl at the mayor again, “The mafia angle would make a lot of sense but so does him just being…him..”

You nodded and waited then watched as they scowled as Brody was the one that got blamed for the boy getting eaten.

“It wasn’t him! It was your corrupted mayor and council!” Steve scowled.

“She’s grieving, Steve, and he didn’t fight it either.” Bucky countered and Steve looked at him with a scowl.

“Don’t you two start arguing.” You said and they nodded before returning to watching Hooper explain how he got into studying sharks.

“I don’t think I’d start studying them if they ate my boat out from under me.” Steve said and Bucky thought for a moment.

“I mean…I might. Just to learn how to not have that happen again.” He said and you thought about it yourself.

“I’d never set foot near the ocean again.” You said and once again hit play.

They weren’t surprised when the shark turned out to not be the right shark. They were already aware of that. They were however surprised by the license plate. Both nodded when Hooper explained why, yet they were both shaking their head at his dismissal of the mayor as being a small problem.

“Look, you’re not wrong about the shark being a problem.” Steve said and Bucky shook his head.

“No, but the mayor is a major problem because he’s the one standin’ in the way.” He said and you nodded then nodded again, “I also think you’re underestimatin’ the size of that shark’s mouth as for night feeding…did you skip the part about the daytime attack?”

It then took Steve two seconds to guess that Brody was drunk when he started rambling about the crime rate in New York. That launched him and Bucky both into a discussion on how much things had, or hadn’t, changed since their day. That then launched them into a short tennis match over how Steve getting beaten up in alleys back then was different before you put a stop to it devolving any further.

“Sorry.” Both apologized so you could hit play again, learning more about Hooper and Brody, “Why’s the chief hate water s’much?”

You paused, “I can’t remember if they explain it in the movie or the book. He almost drowned as a kid so developed a phobia of water.”

“Oh.” They both nodded and you hit play again, watching as the boat’s fish finder picked up something else being out in the water.

When it turned out to lead to an abandoned boat both of their eyes widened. It was easy to tell that they were torn between moving forward and leaning back to prepare themselves. They didn’t stay quiet, though.

“Sure I know him. He’s a fisherman.” Brody said on the screen while he and Hooper drew up on the banged up and attacked boat.

“Knew him. You knew him.” Steve said and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah and he was a fisherman. He’s fish food now.” He said and you held back the snicker that threatened to erupt from you and it got better.

“Look Martin, I’ve gotta go down there and check their hull.” Hooper said and both Steve and Bucky shook their heads.

“No.”

“Wait a minute. Why don’t we just tow it all in?” Brody asked and they both nodded.

“Listen to him, Hooper.” Steve said and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah, don’t get eaten.”

“We will. I just got to check something out.” Hooper insisted and they both sighed, shaking their heads, “Hit the lights for me.”

“He’s getting eaten.” Bucky sighed and Steve nodded.

“Yeah and Brody’s gonna be left out there alone on the boat…”

You said nothing. You just let them watch and tell Hooper he’s an idiot a few times. Alpine was curled up in your lap watching the screen with them while you stole bits of their snacks waiting.

“Don’t worry Martin. Nothing’s gonna happen.”

“You said the shark’s a night feeder. It’s night.” Steve pointed out and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah and you’re gonna get eaten so something is definitely gonna happen.”

“Don’t touch any of the equipment. I’ll be back in two minutes.”

“He’s gonna touch it.” Steve said and once again Bucky nodded.

“Yeah, and Hooper’s gonna come back in two small pieces.” He said and they watched as Hooper swam into the water, both shaking their heads.

You remained silent as he investigated the boat and dislodged the huge tooth. You watched their reactions more than the movie. So when the head of the fisherman came through the giant hole you watched them both jump in their seats enough that you bounced in your own when they both came down, disturbing Alpine enough she meowed at them.

“Sorry.” They said and shook their heads.

“Of course he dropped the tooth!” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

“And the light.” He said, “Get out of the water.”

The scene changed to daytime.

“Oh look it’s Mayor Chum Bait with his anchor suit again…” Bucky said as Hooper and Brody tried to tell him about the danger of the shark but then both Bucky and Steve looked at you when they listed off a different incident that happened in 1916.

“Wait…” Steve said, thinking, “I think I heard my mom talkin’ about that once.”

You nodded, “Yeah. The Matawan shark attacks took place in July of 1916 and was likely the inspiration for the novel itself. Five people were attacked, four fatally. There are debates about what kind of shark it was, though. At the time they said a white shark but the attacks also took place in a creek. Fresh water. Not many sharks are able to swim in both fresh and salt. White sharks are rare around Jersey and don’t swim into brackish or fresh water like bull sharks or tiger sharks do and there’s been even more debate around if it was just one single shark as well. Bite ratios from more modern studies say up to three sharks could have been responsible.”

“How do you know this?” Bucky asked and you looked at him, blinking.

“Because I watch Shark Week on Discovery. Can I unpause now?”

“Yeah.” Steve nodded and once you did they were both soon groaning when the mayor refused to believe them and refused to close the beaches, both yelling at the mayor with Brody and Hooper, “You depend on the summer months for money! You’re gonna have no summer tourists left!”

“People aren’t gonna want to come back to a place that has a man-eating shark and a tacky damn mayor that doesn’t care if they get eaten!”

“Who’d bring their kid to a beach where the mayor practically sprays them down with tuna oil?!”

“Tuna oil?”

“I dunno the shark might like it more than barbecue sauce!”

“All he cares about is the summer and the sign!”

“Hooper is the only one with sense!”

“He’s laughing now.”

“He’s frustrated and just done.”

“That’s it! I vote the mayor gets tied up to the damn pier!” Bucky said and you just shook your head as Alpine looked up at you.

“Just let them go.” You said to her and she just nudged your hand to be petted as the tourists arrived, being labeled a “buffet on legs” by Steve with Bucky adding it was “all you can eat courtesy of Mayor Dumb Ass”.

When the mayor urged someone to go into the water they just jaw-dropped and then glared at the screen. The gears turning in their heads were spinning fast enough you could practically see the smoke coming out of their ears. You debated pausing it to let them process everything.

Once the mayor came back on announcing that they had already caught a large predator and was otherwise trying to cover everything up you debated it again, but waited once the shark fin was spotted. Then you paused it.

They both just glared at the screen then looked at you.

“Movie. Breathe. Calm. Deep breaths.” You knew what was coming and didn’t need either one wanting to tackle the tv, “Calm…it’s a movie…”

“That mayor…needs his face shoved into the sand…” Bucky said slowly, “And his ass kicked so hard…it becomes his head.”

“And then he can be shark bait.” Steve added and you licked your lips before speaking.

“Boys…I’m not pressing play until you both calm down. We all know the mayor is a major jackass.” You said and Alpine meowed.

“Mao.”

They both nodded and calmed down. Once you were satisfied you hit play again watching them glare at the ensuing terror-filled chaos. They both scolded the two boys for playing the prank, seeing them relax a bit, but you knew better. You knew the pause was needed for what came next. Especially when the shark was spotted going into the pond where Brody’s son was boating. It didn’t go over their heads just how large the shark was either.

“That thing is huge.” Steve said and Bucky nodded then both started shaking their heads.

“No one’s off limits in this movie. Get your kid outta the water, Brody!”

“Why isn’t he more worried?” Steve asked while gesturing at the screen.

“I don’t think he believes the screaming after the two prank boys.” Bucky said and he nodded.

“Probly.”

“We never would have done that.”

“No. We wouldn’t have.”

You agreed, but not because you believed them to be angels as children. You just knew that Steve wouldn’t have been able to. Had he been…you’d have audibly disagreed with them. Instead you just nodded.

You nodded and you said nothing and just held the remote at the ready. Alpine shifted around on your lap; aware you were getting ready just in case she needed to move. They were on the edge of their seats again when the shark was spotted making a beeline for the boat and the guy on the rowboat.

They were shaking their heads as Brody ran. Both jumped when the rowboat was capsized, eyes wide and then wider when the shark made its first appearance. Mouths slowly opened while they watched the man get dragged under. Then they leaned back when the next shot of the shark showed it taking another bite. Heads were shaking when the severed leg dropped to the bottom.

“Get out of the water.” Steve said quietly, both watched as Brody’s son was taken out of the water and was left in shock, “Oh that poor kid…”

“He’s alive. That’s what matters. He wasn’t eaten.” Bucky said and they watched him in the hospital scene asking for cars and coffee, “Knows his priorities.”

“I agree with mom. Go home to New York.” Steve said and they both glared full fury and rage at the mayor when he was apologizing to Brody, “Only thing he needs to sign is a resignation letter.”

“Or a note saying he wants to apologize by volunteering to be bait.” Bucky said while the mayor mumbled and tried to get himself out of trouble.

Neither cared about how the mayor felt at that point. Even when he mentioned his kids. Especially then and you found you had to pause or they’d miss the next part.

“Who the hell would reproduce with you?!” Bucky asked while holding both hands out to the screen and you laughed.

“Give me a break. ‘My kids were on that beach, too’. Maybe if you cared about your kids you shouldn’t have offered them up on an all you can eat buffet for ocean predators.” Steve glared at the screen and they looked at you to unpause it, “We’re okay.”

“Yeah.” Bucky nodded.

“Good.” You said and hit the play button letting them watch as Quint was hired and started listing off everything he wanted.

You watched them all jostle and maneuver each other’s egos. Steve and Bucky were obviously not very sure what to make of Quint. Other than that they thought he was rude, crude, and had definitely been in the military in some capacity.

“Navy.” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

“Definitely.” He said, eyes glued to the screen while watching Brody chum the water and Quint go on about how much shark fishing had changed, “Do we sound like that?”

You paused and thought for a moment, “Sometimes you go on about how things were. You both do…”

You glanced at Bucky as he opened his mouth causing him to shut it and smile at you.

Then you continued, “But you don’t really do it to the same degree as he does. Mostly I think he’s just trying to annoy the piss out of them both.”

They both nodded and continued watching the movie and as you predicted Bucky made a comment when Hooper freaked out about the compressed air tanks. You weren’t even surprised. You just knew him too well.

“No they won’t. They’re scuba tanks not aerosol.” He said and you looked at him, “They wouldn’t explode.”

“It’s a movie, Buck.” You reminded him and he sighed and nodded.

“Fine.” He said and gestured that you could unpause the movie once again.

They both looked at the reel when it began clicking. Brody was busy trying to tie his knot while Quint prepared himself. You could see they were both mentally debating if strapping himself to the pole was a good idea or not.

“Y’know…” Steve started and Bucky nodded, “I recognize that’s how you’re supposed to do it…but…”

“Yeah. He’s shark food.” Bucky said and tossed a bite of his Cracker Jacks into his mouth, “That shark’s huge. I don’t think you’re gonna be able to use a rod and reel to get it.”

You just shrugged and stole some of Steve’s popcorn.

“Y’know Chief, he’s either very smart or he’s very dumb…” Quint said on the screen while considering what the shark was doing.

“Sounds like he’s describin’ Steve.” Bucky said and snickered when Steve threw a piece of popcorn at him causing you to look at him sharply.

“What’d I say about throwin’ food?” you asked and he sighed.

“Sorry.” Steve said and you looked at Bucky.

“Behave.” You said and he nodded while watching the movie as they argued about it and Hooper said it wasn’t the shark before they both jumped as the line came free.

“I agree with Quint. It was the shark. They really need to stop competin’ with each other.” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

“Yeah, but if he’d stop pickin’ on Hooper for being educated he’d stop tryin’ to prove himself to him all the time.” He said and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah…” he said and they both nodded when Quint explained how he fished for sharks, tricking them up and jabbing at them.

They continued watching as Brody chummed the water before jumping when the shark made another appearance. Then Brody said the line that started all of this.

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat…”

“I agree completely.” Steve said and so did Bucky.

“Yeah. Preferably one with torpedoes.” He said then thought for a moment with a face on that you knew very well.

“No. You cannot have Bruce as a pet.”

“Bruce? You named it. It’s a pet now.” He said and you laughed but shook your head.

“No! I didn’t name it Bruce. The movie crew did when they were making it! You can’t have a great white shark for a pet. They don’t really do captivity. It stresses them out too much and you’d have to feed them a lot.”

“Hm…true.” He said while thinking.

“Just watch the movie.” You said and hit play again.

They both watched as Quint and Hooper sized it, arguing again about the size.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s 20 or 25 it’s still going to eat you!” Steve said and Bucky nodded, watching them react, laughing a bit as Quint got rid of Brody’s wife on the radio after assembling his spear gun.

“Why are they putting Brody in charge of driving the boat?” Bucky asked and answered himself a few seconds later, “Because Hooper knows how to handle the barrels. Never mind.”

“What’s he doing?” Steve asked of Hooper and you just gestured at the screen as the barrel was pulled under, “It pulled it under.”

“That thing is gonna eat him.” Bucky said and you just gestured at the screen.

They watched as Hooper and Quint started having a competition on whoever had the bigger scar. You knew what was coming. It was expected as Bucky waved his vibranium arm at the screen.

“I win.” He said and smiled as they started laughing together, “Well at least they’re getting along now.”

“’Bout time.” Steve said and you nodded, waiting, and you watched them as Quint explained his removed tattoo was the U.S.S. Indianapolis and Hooper stopped laughing.

You watched them as Quint explained what had happened to him. You could see the shift in their eyes as they listened. It was after they both disappeared from the war. You knew they were aware of the war’s history after they both were out of it. Still, you knew they weren’t aware of everything.

They listened and watched as he continued. The horror was clear on their faces. You knew damn well you had to do it when they looked at you.

You paused and nodded, “Yes. It happened. The U.S.S. Indianapolis was charged with delivering parts of one of the bombs. I don’t remember which. The return voyage was when it was sunk. It was a secret mission, I don’t think they even had an escort because it was so secret. The number of survivors isn’t an exaggeration. Only 316 survived. It wasn’t June, though. It was…July I believe and the number on board was closer to twelve hundred not eleven hundred. Otherwise…yeah. It’s not made up for the movie. It happened.”

“That’s…” Bucky started and Steve nodded.

“Horrible.” He said and you nodded.

“It is. War didn’t end with Schmidt’s defeat. Took a few more months and a lot happened. You know won’t I lie to you about it.” You said and they nodded, “You need a minute or you want to keep going?”

“How long is left?” Steve asked.

“About another half hour…ish?” you answered and he nodded.

“Bathroom. The water’s gettin’ to me.” He said and both you and Bucky nodded.

“Yeah.” You said, “We’ll take a bathroom break.”

Bucky nodded and after a short break of relieving yourselves you got settled back in and hit play.

It picked up as Quint and Hooper started singing. It wasn’t long before the barrel returned. It also wasn’t long before one of them spoke. This time it was Steve.

“They’re singing and it’s ramming the boat and taking out the lights. What made this shark?”

“The ocean.” You retorted and they both looked at you, “Nature.”

“It’s too smart.” Bucky said and you just shook your head.

“Just watch the movie.” You replied and they returned to looking at the screen, watching Quint try to shoot the shark and asking what was wrong with the gun when it jammed.

“Top round was probably loaded on the right.” Bucky said then thought about it, “He’d have the clip fully loaded, though so he’s not down to the 7th and 8th round. Probly the bolt not working…and now he’s singing again. He’s crazy…but I like him…but he’s nuts. He’s gonna get eaten and we all know it.”

They watched Quint and Hooper in the daytime trying to fix the boat before jumping a bit when the barrel resurfaced. Once again they were leaning forward, eyes fixed on the screen as Hooper used the boat hook to get the rope. Both were tense, expecting any moment for the shark to pull the rope, and therefore Hooper, into the water. They were expecting it yet they still jumped when the shark surfaced and ripped the rope out of Quint’s hands.

They watched as Brody then went to make a phone call right afterwards. Both guessed he was after a bigger boat but jumped when Quint destroyed the radio. They also both agreed with Brody that Quint was certifiable even if they understood, in their opinion, that Quint was just out for blood and revenge against all sharks at that point.

Then Hooper announced the shark returned and Quint demanded another barrel. Neither one believed the jubilant music for a minute. They didn’t care how hopeful it sounded. They were both ready for chaos and Bucky raised his eyebrow as Brody shot at it before it took the two barrels down. Steve was shaking his head when Hooper was then later caught by the rope behind him and both questioned the logic of tying the ropes to the boat when the shark was that big.

“They’re just askin’ for it.” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

“They know how big it is…”

“They’re still just underestimatin’ it.” Bucky said and you all nodded, especially as it started to turn the boat and then pull the boat even after another barrel was shot into him.

“Not with three he can’t!” Quint said and both gestured at the screen when the shark pulled them under.

“Tell that to Bruce.” Steve said and jumped a few moments later when the boat listed as the shark returned.

They both shook their head when Quint pushed the boat to its absolute limit against Hooper’s urging him not to. Neither were surprised when the boat started spewing black smoke though they did jump when the engine blew.

Watching what they dubbed as “Plan B” come together they agreed with both Brody and Hooper. The shark would rip the cage to pieces but they didn’t really have any better plan to go with. Both said the same thing about the strychnine, though.

“Twenty ccs. I’d pour the whole damn bottle in.” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

They were both tense and threw their hands up when Hooper dropped the spear. They weren’t surprised by it but were surprised that he was putting up a fight. Then they both predicted the boom breaking as they tried raising the cage.

Yet, what took them by surprise the most was the shark rearing up and launching itself partially onto the boat. Their eyes were wide and you prepared yourself for their reaction to Quint sliding down the boat straight into the shark’s mouth.

Alpine put herself into Bucky’s lap while you checked on Steve. Both were just staring at the screen, processing it. Yet they both nodded that they were good to go so you unpaused the movie and prepared yourself.

Both of them narrowed their eyes when Brody was attacked by the shark and shoved the compressed air canister into its mouth. You could tell they were well aware of what was about to happen up to a point. So you cut them off before they questioned it.

“Movie.”

They just nodded and watched the ensuing battle between Brody and the shark. You also knew damn well Bucky was counting the shots.

“Smile you sonovabitch.” Brody said one more time before hitting the canister with the shot resulting in the infamous explosion of the man-eating shark.

They watched through the rest of the movie to its end. They were quiet. You weren’t quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing just yet.

“Well?” you asked and they looked at you.

“How different is the book?” Bucky asked and you answered.

“A bit. There’s a subplot where Brody’s wife cheats on him with Hooper because of something to do with how she feels like she missed out on a better life with Hooper’s brother or something. I’m not upset they left that out.” You answered and Steve nodded.

“Yeah that sounds confusing. I liked it, but that canister wouldn’t have blown up like that.” He said.

There it was. You knew it’d happen. You also knew what else was gonna come…and it did.

“How’d they do the shark? Was it like the T-Rex?” Bucky asked and you answered.

“There is a nearly two-hour long behind the scenes documentary about Jaws. The long and short of it is that: yes, the shark is an animatronic. However, the animatronic shark had a lot of issues. It didn’t work half the time, which is where the barrels came from. If the animatronic worked more there’d have been more scenes with the shark in it.”

“I think the barrels added tension more than seeing the shark would.” Steve said and Bucky nodded as did you.

“Yeah. As for the canister…no. There’s debate, it’s been tested several times, but it’s a movie.” You reminded them and they nodded then tilted their heads when you shut the movie off and turned on something different, “And now…we’re going to watch clips on YouTube of sharks hunting seals.”

“Why?” Bucky asked and you just smiled as they looked at the screen.

“Because I want to show you breaching great white sharks.” You answered and Steve looked at the thumbnail on the first one.

“They don’t jump that high.” He said and you just smiled and hit play, “Why are there ads on everything?”

“There wasn’t in the early days but this is life now. Just watch.” You said and gestured at the screen for them to watch.

They did then stared wide eyed when the 10-foot shark leapt out of the water to strike the seal dummy. They both just pointed at the screen. When another one breached they were both leaning forward and glued.

“They do jump that high.” Steve said and you nodded.

“They just…wham!” Bucky said and you nodded; then they both looked at you once the short video was done, “Are they all like that?”

“Mmm…sort of but there’s different sharks. Let’s find one with Colossus…” you said and scrolled down to the first one you saw, “These are off a Discovery show called Air Jaws from Shark Week. This one explains why they do this. The Sharks.”

They nodded and listened again, nodding as the narrator explained it was a learned adaptation to surprise seals, but they were still fascinated by it.

“That’s a big shark.” Bucky said and you nodded as Steve spoke.

“I suppose that’s why they call him Colossus.”

“Yep.” You nodded and watched several more clips with them, letting them pick each one.

Then you introduced them to MythBusters. The third season Jaws special to be specific after finding it on YouTube once you discovered you couldn’t find it on Discovery. You explained it briefly, knowing the opening would explain it more for you.

“It’s science based. You’ll like it. They test movie myths and other stuff like that. A lot is blown up. They’re nuts. Just watch.” You said and they nodded.

“I reject your reality and substitute my own.”

“Steve.” Bucky said and Steve side-eyed him.

“I kinda like it in here. It’s private.”

“That’s you then.” He retorted and Bucky just shrugged as you shushed them both.

“Behave.” You reminded them and they nodded while watching and listening to the line up of the myths to be tested.

They both nodded when the narrator explained the difference between continuous force and shock force. Both were fascinated and paying attention. You knew they were because they were silent and absorbed as Adam explained what they were doing. At least until he started getting seasick.

“Yeah. He’s Steve.” Bucky said and you sighed, “Sorry.”

Steve shook his head yet they watched the episode continue as the testing of great whites failed and the team went to the Bahamas to test some other things. They were largely silent as they watched the data collection and how the pair on the tv calculated what force a shark could produce.

At least until they introduced Buster. They didn’t ask who Buster was as Jaime explained who, or rather what, Buster was. Still a comment came.

“They have a crash test dummy.” Steve said, “Named Buster.”

You beat Bucky to it, “Yes. Not everyone is exactly willing to be a guinea pig for things so they have a crash test dummy instead.”

“Yeah. That.” Bucky said and Steve just nodded.

“I wouldn’t be volunteering for that.”

Both you and Bucky looked at him skeptically.

“I wouldn’t.” he said and nodded, “Unless it was important, but not just to test somethin’ like that.”

“Sure.” Bucky said and you hit play again to watch with them as the plan was drawn up on how to test the effect of deterring an attacking shark by punching it.

Both stared at the guy that just deterred great whites with his hand. You explained once again that the author of Jaws came to regret his actions for misrepresenting the animals so badly, but you agreed that the guy was still nuts. They went back to silence once the testing began again at least until the Red Man suit came back again.

“Steve needed one of those back in the 40s.” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

“I won’t argue about that.”

“Good.” You said and they returned to silence once the testing and science started again.

Bucky accepted their entire build of the punching machine despite having a vibranium arm. Then again you were pretty sure he understood the difference between what other people had access to in science versus what Wakanda and HYDRA had. That or he and Steve were just totally absorbed in the show.

Looking at them you were pretty sure they were absorbed. Watching the team build a shark ram and watching Adam build a shark cage without either Steve or Bucky saying anything while both were still very awake you knew they were just simply absorbed in the show. Even as Adam and Jaime tested the piano wire they only nodded in agreement that more movie magic had been used when it came to Quint using piano strings as a leader.

Seeing just how absorbed they were you weren’t exactly sure if it was a good thing or not. Ultimately you decided it was a good one since it gave them something else to watch that was science and entertainment.

They chuckled at times but otherwise they were absorbed. Then the tank arrived to tow the shark ram.

“They were actually given a tank?” Steve asked and you nodded.

“It’s a good idea to not let Adam drive it.” Bucky said and you chuckled then watched with them when Adam was allowed to control a crane, “But they let him operate heavy machinery.”

“He knows what he’s doing.” Steve said and you just smiled. “I still can’t believe they let him use the actual props.”

They continued watching as the testing moved back to the punching a shark test. Adam’s refusal to leave Buster behind if he got cut loose by a shark instantly had Bucky agreeing once again that he was Steve. It also had Steve’s instant agreement and admiration.

“I like him.” Steve said and you nodded.

“Buster is a part of the team no matter what they put him through.” You said and they nodded while watching, including when Buster’s arm got bit by a shark.

“Fight Buster fight!” they urged and cheered when he was raised from the water.

Then things moved onto the exploding scuba tank. It was the entire reason you put the episode on. They ultimately agreed with both Spielberg and the author Benchley about the ending of Jaws.

“I mean, yeah, we know they don’t explode like that…” Bucky said and Steve nodded.

“But it was still the ending that made it memorable and it felt fitting.” He said but then they returned to silence again while watching the shark strength test at pulling the boat backwards.

They enjoyed the test’s chaos, though they countered with a “what if the shark wasn’t a natural shark but a science lab creation”. Then they just stared when the narrator said the FBI was using it as a training session. You weren’t sure what to make of their reaction other than to be mildly impressed at how thorough they were when it came to safety and testing.

Though Bucky ultimately disagreed with Adam’s prediction about the bullet not going through the aluminum. He was right, as expected and as you knew he’d be.

They largely returned to silence yet they were fascinated by the contraption Adam was put into to watch Jaime get ready to punch at sharks. Even though they thought it was stupid they were still fascinated by the entire thing nodding at times, tilting their heads at others.

They were back on the edges of their seats deeply interested in the results of the shark ram versus the shark cage, but you knew they were mostly eager to see the end result so were disappointed when things went wrong. You knew very well that it couldn’t be a full MythBusters episode until something went wrong. Still they listened to Adam explain the ballast issue and the physics of it before everything was fixed.

Then they watched the results. Both were staring fascinated and nodded in response to what was said about there not being evidence of a shark attacking a cage like that. Then they watched the ram hit the boat. They nodded when the ram hit the boat creating a hole without sinking it.

Then came the scuba tank myth.

“We know this isn’t going to work.” Steve said and you nodded.

“Yeah, but they’re gonna show you how it can be made to work, too. There’s always an explosion every episode.” You said and they both nodded and watched.

Neither were surprised that it didn’t work on either attempt but they both shook their heads when the team rigged it so it would explode. It was still amusing to them that the FBI was involved.

“Well?” you asked afterwards and they nodded.

“What’s the sequel like?” Steve asked.

5 days later

“Mao!” Alpine meowed while dropping down from her cat tree like her Papa had a habit of doing straight onto a catnip filled shark toy as you walked in with the mail.

You tossed the package addressed to Steve at him and the one addressed to Bucky at Bucky. You knew what Steve had ordered and weren’t surprised when he pulled out a custom-made cat ball shaped like the amber piece from John Hammond’s cane he then tossed to her to bat around. Bucky pulling out T-shirts from his package didn’t surprise you either, though you had to laugh when he handed Steve one that had Buster on it proclaiming the dummy was his personal hero.

Steve smiled, “I love it.”

A/N: I had to give them a little something to untraumatize them at the end. The Matawan Man-Eater is a real event that happened and so is the sinking and aftermath of the USS Indianapolis. There's plenty I left out on both. I hope you enjoyed this episode (I'm sticking with episode. Calling them chapters or parts just doesn't fit right for me). The next poll will be up for 3 days instead of one. Mostly to give myself some time.

Ao3 Link: Super Soldier Theater: Jaws

Series Masterlist🍿MASTER Masterlist

Previous Movie: Jurassic Park Next Movie: The Little Mermaid (1989)

🍿Winner: The Little Mermaid (Animated)🍿

Taglist: @maryevm

[yoroshiu]

Characterization Through Language: Xion (Kingdom Hearts)

Next from the poll: Xion!

(She technically tied with MoM but I put her first because MoM...he's something...and I feel like I'll have a little too much to say about him)

Xion has a lot of fascinating aspects to her that kinda get lost in the translation/localization sauce, one of the biggest ones I've posted about before so I'll just TLDR it here while linking that post. And just like the previous posts there'll be analyses and trivia ^o^

CV: Risa Uchida (Emika (Lupin the 3rd: Goodbye Partner); She mostly focuses on acting/theatre actually so she doesn't have as many voice acting roles)

And of course, she's Kairi's seiyuu as well.

Here's the two saying the same line:

"Don't hold back, Axel." vs "Don't hold back, Lea."

Uchida-san has such a pretty voice, it's very princess-like. That's one consistent thing I've heard from people hearing her voice for the first time.

~~~

Xion's preferred 1st Person pronoun ("I") is: "Atashi" - あたし

This previous post goes into it in more detail but there's a lot of significance in her usage of this particular pronoun.

"あたし" is the typically feminine way of referring to one's self as comapred to 私 (わたし)/"Watashi" which is gender-neutral and the standard "I" that people can use in conversation. It's basically the go-to for standard politeness in Japanese.

In short, this is extremely important for Xion's characterization because it's a pronoun that none of the other characters she's based on use it. Kairi uses "watashi" (and so does Naminé). This makes "atashi" a Xion thing. She's a girl, she's her own person and her name is Xion—not a boy named Sora.

("Roxas also doesn't have memories, like me.")

Xion's preferred 2nd Person pronoun ("you") is: "Anata" - あなた

This is a standard way to say "you', probably one of the most polite ways to do so. Honestly, I don't have much to say here lol

("You, as well. Why are you pretending to be [in the] Organization?")

~~~

Xion has a soft but firm voice, emphasis on the firmness. I think the best way to put it is to show how voicing Xion versus Kairi is for Uchida-san:

I think she tends to make use Uchida-san's darker/deeper tones, at least more than Kairi. Considering the time we get with her throughout Days + 3, there were a quite a bit of moments that stuck out to me. I don't have too much to say, but Xion's quite an emotional performance.

~~~

Notable Clips:

Xion screaming (Riku encounter)

That one convo with Axel (The softness of her voice usually)

After beating Xigbar (Her voice being more firm)

Right before her boss fight (The epitome of the climax of her making up her mind TvT)

Screenshot from an Interview:

(KH3 Ultimania)

Not gonna lie, there's a part of me that wishes I didn't make that previous post just so I could've written more here LOL

Either way, Xion's another case of relative consistency. Besides the "atashi" aspect, you don't really lose out on the characterization I feel. Kingdom Hearts is relatively consistent on that basis. I always find it fun studying characters with the same voice actor cause you can usually find those cool nuances based on the direction.

So, that's all I have for this post so thanks if you made here!

Next is the Master of Masters, and this time, there's A Lot to talk about with him in terms of how his dialogue and personality come through in the Japanese dub.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Making Kingdom Hearts Stuff Until KH4 Comes Out (Day 109)

[imthepunchlord]

[1/2] 5 out of 7 are nailed down - we’re really in the home stretch now! I’m another follower who hopes that we get Mantis!Marinette as well as Butterfly!Juleka in the last two remaining Bugettes!Miraculous polls; the colors alone are enough to persuade me (Indigo and Violet match them the best respectively), but also all of the other reasons that the previous Dragonfly!Sabrina+Mantis!Marinette anon and Butterfly!Juleka anon brought up in their asks that I hadn’t considered before. An extra reason that I have is that it would free up Rose to get the Centipede, which would be really interesting to see considering how you said Arrdor goes about trying to manipulate the humans he links up with and given that Rose canonically possesses a great deal of willpower against negativity and negativity-based powers—like the ones Guiltrip had that were able to engulf its victims in their own guilt—despite her chronic illness. Speaking of which, as someone who gets chronic migraines, I would REALLY like to see someone tackle that aspect of Rose with far more tact than what canon did, even if it’s still in not-so-many words, and I sincerely believe you’d be able to do it given your writing history and consistent acknowledgment of research needing to be done for topics that writers aren’t personally related to, be it race or religion or afflictions of any kind. In terms of personality, I read canon!Rose as naive instead of oblivious in that she has a lack of experience and sophistication that manifests as a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism rather than being unmindful, unaware or ignorant of the existence of negativity. Two examples way back in Season 1 that illustrate this to me are Princess Fragrance and Timebreaker. In the former, Rose stutters when she asks Chloe if she mentioned Prince Ali and frowns and shrinks when Chloe smugly replies “Not to you.” And speaking of shrinking, Rose’s body language during that whole scene is very *timidly* hopeful, what with her hiding behind her love letter and bringing back her smile when she hands it to Chloe but being hunched over and not looking her in the eye. She actually only fully perks up and looks at Chloe when she lies about giving Prince Ali the letter before laughing in her face and ripping it up. And, while still heartbroken by the interaction, Rose is seen preparing another letter for Prince Ali to give him herself before getting akumatized instead of just giving up. Should Rose have known better than to even consider asking Chloe for any kind of favor? In my opinion, ABSOLUTELY, especially considering not only the in-universe class history we knew of at the time but EVERYTHING ELSE that’s been revealed up to this point. But what makes this genuine character flaw of hers (which isn’t a bad thing to have in and of itself if handled well) naïveté and not obliviousness is that she ISN’T just skipping up to Chloe and expecting everything to go well and DOES recognize and get hurt by Chloe’s first insult before pushing through it. The same goes for how she behaves in Timebreaker when she moves to help the titular akuma as she fakes being injured; Rose is hiding behind the stairs when Timebreaker calls out to her instead of standing out and about and trepidly inches towards Timebreaker to help her up instead of just rushing over. Timebreaker even says “Sweet Rose! Always thinking of others before yourself!” as she laughs and takes her energy. I honestly think that, considering their plan to make her a hero later on, canon!Rose is ML’s attempt at writing a character similar to She-Ra’s Perfuma that isn’t as well-written or fulfilled, especially with this quote from her to Catra in the last season: “It's hard keeping your heart open. It makes you vulnerable. But it doesn't make you weak, and I have to believe it's worth it.” …

So, first and foremost, while I get the idea, I'm not a 100% yet on Rose getting Centipede, and depending on how this story develops as it's planned out, I'm not certain on Arrdor returning to being Pink and becoming Miraculous once more.

Centipede is currently on the crossroads and I just can't take a path until I get farther into the planning, and that can delve into whoever has the Centipede as it could go someone trying to be a hero but is an enemy by fairy standards so they're in an awkward position, someone just being a neutral wildcard messing with both heroes and villains, or someone being a 3rd solo villain. There's options and I'd rather sit and wait and see where the story points to, as sometimes the story will just go ahead and write itself, whether it planned it a certain way or not.

I probably will do a take on Arrdor turning Pink once more, I just don't know if it'll be this story, nor do I know if it'd happen with Rose.

So until polls are done, I'll just put a pin on the possibility.

I also will give a heads up, I'm not sure if anything like Guiltrip will even come up at all, especially as I haven't watched it and I'm not sure if I want to. I also don't know how much of a focus point Rose having chronic migraines should be, especially as this feels like a detail that got slapped on her really late, and I kinda wonder if it even matters as chances are good it only exists for that ep and will never come up again.

Assuming if she does get an important role in Bugettes, that's not a full certainty yet, I'll then do research on chronic migraines and hopefully get an idea on how much attention it should get narrative wise, but at this time, I'm not going to make promises it's going to get a lot. I don't even know if it'll actually even come up as I just don't have ideas for it to be focused on right now.

[houseofbrat]

When do you Think This war in gaza Will end? Do you believe This war can weak kamala Win The election? English is not my First language

This will be a long post.

One, I don't think the Gaza war will end this year. It's probably going to get worse given that Israel has invaded the West Bank. Netanyahu doesn't seem at all motivated to stop the war maneuvers in the near future. He's already attacked Lebanon. Now he's attacking the West Bank in addition to what is continuing to happen in Gaza.

Iran has shown a lot of restraint by not attacking back, so far. That's not going to last forever. It's hard to know when that will change, but I suspect it will. We start "eclipse season" next Tuesday, 03 September, and it'll last until 16 October. Big changes are coming in lots of different areas. Also, Mars moves into its (sidereal) debilitation sign, Cancer, on 20 October. What is most interesting about Mars' upcoming transit in Cancer is that a) it will be a long transit because Mars will go retrograde in early December and b) Mars will significantly aspect both Israel & Iran's charts.

Mars will transit Iran's 1st house and aspect its 4th house (home), 7th house (partnerships, allies, opposition), and 8th house (death, mortality, war).

Mars will transit Israel's 10th house (government, leadership, actions of the country), and aspect it's 1st house (national identity, collective personality), 4th house (home), and 5th house (national leader, education, youth/children, border disputes).

It's interesting that on 07 October 2023, Mars was transiting through (sidereal) Libra, which is Israel's 1st house, and hit the previous eclipse point when the attack by Hamas happened. I think given Mars' upcoming & long transit through Cancer that we're probably looking at more war happening in the Middle East, not less.

What is even more interesting is that Mars will retrograde out of (sidereal) Cancer and into (sidereal) Gemini on 20 January 2025, which is the inauguration of US President. I don't know if that portends a certain length to the any possible fighting between Israel & Iran, or if there's something about that particular person being inaugurated that might provoke a change. Won't know for sure until November.

It's not going to be Donald Trump or J.D. Vance being inaugurated. Neither of them have favorable charts for winning in November. They just don't. Kamala has a better chart for winning, but as I've said before, I don't think she's going to be the person being inaugurated on 20 January 2025 "because the person who does will die in office." I have not studied Kamala's chart thoroughly, but I do not have the impression that she will be dying in the next four years or less than that.

When it comes to Donald Trump, he has a ceiling of support in the polls. That is, no matter what has happened over the course of this year (including the assassination attempt on him), his level of support in the polls has never increased above a static level. The people who like him, support him, and are going to vote for him does not seem to have increased. It is his third time on the ballot in November, and all voters already have an opinion of him. He does not seem able to increase his base of support based on the events of this year, regardless of what has happened. That is a difficult position when it comes to the ballot box because the largest group of voters is not those registered to either the Democratic or Republican parties but independent voters, who generally do not have a professed preference for a political party. If Trump cannot appeal and win more independent voters, then it is literally impossible for him to win because there are not enough Republican voters to make up the difference.

Two, Kamala Harris is doing better in the polls, currently, than Joe Biden. However, she has some obvious weaknesses. She hasn't differentiated herself much from Joe Biden.

She also seems afraid of the press, given that she's only done one major interview (CNN) after becoming the nominee.

The problem with a bigger war in the Middle East (Israel & whomever else Israel is starting shit with) is that it will likely decrease enthusiasm and support for Kamala because she won't differentiate herself or her positions from Joe Biden. When a bigger war happens, and the US military is doing whatever it is that they are going to do with American tax dollars, for a boondoggle war that no one in Congress voted and approved. It's disheartening & angering for a lot of people.

One-third of the US navy is sitting in the Middle East. That's ONE-THIRD of the largest navy on earth. For a conflict that the vast majority of Americans want no part in and are not interested in seeing American servicemen (& servicewomen) being sacrificed.

So when the bullets start flying and the US military is involved in something so high profile, you bet that it will weaken Kamala as a candidate. Because what will be the future direction of US involvement in a Harris Administration? Doesn't seem like it would be that different from Joe Biden. Donald Trump isn't likely to change the US military involvement in the region, but his voters don't seem to care about that, based on what I've seen so far. Independent and Democratic voters are not interested in seeing the US participate in a wider war. When Kamala loses enthusiasm of her supporters, then her chances of winning in November will start to decrease.

Here are three videos from a tarot reader about Kamala.

This one is from 18 November 2020 on whether Kamala will ever be President.

This next one is from 09 December 2023.

And this one is from 19 November 2020.

One of my current thoughts is that the Democratic Party delegates voted/confirmed Kamala as the party's nominee virtually, as in they did it online/electronically instead of in person. The roll call vote that happened at Democratic National Convention (DNC) was purely ceremonial. If they can have one virtual vote, then another virtual vote can also happen.

Back in July, there was a lot of reporting in some news outlets about how many people privately within the Democratic Party did not think Kamala should be on the ticket. I think Gretchen Whitmer, the current governor of Michigan, was rumored to have told Kamala that she wasn't interested in being her VP. (Rumored, not publicly confirmed) Because those who aren't going to be affiliated with the Democratic ticket in 2024--if Kamala & Tim Walz lose--can have an easier time running for president in 2028 without being connected to an electoral loss.

This is the chart for the 2025 Presidential Inauguration:

There are two things I would point out of major relevance:

The Sun is conjunct Pluto within one degree and aspected by Mars.

Mars is debilitated and weak in Cancer.

The Sun is the indicator of the president. The aspect by Mars--even though it is retrograde and debilitated--indicates a likely act of violence, aggression, or some natural force against the life of the president. Given the recent failures of the Secret Service over the last ten years, this is very plausible. (Could also just be death by natural causes.) The close conjunction with Pluto--the god of death--likely confirms it. (Just my opinion at this point.) This is the only presidential chart that will have the Sun conjunct Pluto within one degree, probably ever.

The issue with Mars being debilitated is very different. It's the first time this has ever happened in a US Presidential administration chart since the inaugurations moved to January after 1932. Mars rules the 1st house in this chart, so it doesn't likely affect the administration as a whole. It's a unique feature. I'm not entirely sure what exactly it means, but what I've been thinking about lately is that this president may be seen by many as illegitimate. And if the Democrats end up switching Kamala for someone else, then, well, that may explain that debilitation of Mars in the 2025 inauguration chart and any perceived "illegitimacy."

Sounds crazy.

But it's been a crazy year.

And it's going to get even crazier sooner than later.

[asaka-lucy-dr-rc]

English version DR:THH Gameplay Log #3

⚠️ Note that this Gameplay Log contains many spoilers, not only for THH but also for the entire Danganronpa franchise.

[Previous #2]

Finally, the introduction of the Ultimates! Yay! First, let's start with Hifumi's self-introduction, which I thought would be absolutely difficult to translate.

Oh, I see. "すべての始まりにして終わりなる者" is translated as "The Alpha and the Omega". It's a nice way of translating.

---

One thing I was very curious about in the translation of Hifumi's lines is how he refers to others, because this is related to a trick in chapter3. It seems that he calls others "Mr. + last name". I see, I see. In the original, he refers to other people as "their full name + an honorific (殿)". So if it was reproduced in the English version, he would call Makoto "Mr. Makoto Naegi", but the trick in chapter 3 would only work if the last name came first, so I guess the first name was omitted.

---

haha, I think the EN text is a bit more euphemistic and cooler than the original, but I wonder what English speakers think about this. Maybe if I translated the original text literally, it would be "In other words... things beyond sex (or sexual desires)." or something like that?

---

Leon has a lot of interesting lines for me because I have a limited vocabulary of informal English. But I think he speaks more normally than I expected. I think the original version is even more disorganized in its wording. (It is difficult to give a detailed explanation, so I will leave out the details!)

---

I think "super cool to the max!" is a good translation because it gives a silly impression. In the original, it was "マキシマム(maximum)にカッケー". I think the literal translation would be "maximum cool!" or something like that. It is a silly and grammatically odd expression that is halfway mixed with English.

---

haha, in the EN text, the fact that Sayaka bowed was removed. A literal translation of the original text would probably be something like this:

"The way she bowed is beautiful and I can't help but admire..."

Yeah, bowing is an act based on Japanese culture, so I guess it was removed to avoid confusion about what it means.

---

This is a very good translation. The original text only says that fishermen have become very popular, but the context means that fishermen have become popular as romantic partners, which is expressed in the English version as 'fishermen quickly shot to the top of every "Hottest Men" poll ', and it is very clear.

---

Ah, the word "お姉様" has been omitted, perhaps because it is difficult to translate. Actually, I am very curious as to how this can be translated. The word "お姉様" evokes images of a mature, calm, emotional leeway, and attractive woman. For example, Melami Goldmine from Rain Code is a complete "お姉様" type of person. Is there any equivalent word?

---

hehe, it's funny how Makoto's line is much harsher in the original. In the EN text he said he WAS way off, but in the original one, he said "作家としての豊かな想像力が間違った方向に働いた例だな…". If I were to translate it, it would probably be something like this:

"It's a case of a writer's rich imagination working in the wrong direction..."

Don't analyze her so coldly, Makoto! 😂

---

Ah, apparently I did not understand how difficult it is to translate Taka's lines. He's smart enough to use difficult words, so it's hard to translate that into English while keeping the word count within the limits of the line!

The translation "educational crusade" is interesting. In the original, he's just using a little difficult wording to say let's do our best to do schoolwork together. But as it is, it doesn't convey that he's using exaggerated language, so it feels like it's been largely changed.

---

Ohhh, I finally got to see the line that explains why he is called Taka in the English fandom. The corresponding line "Anyway, you can call me Taka." does not exist at all in the original text. Is Kiyotaka hard to say from English speakers' point of view, so it became Taka? I am curious why.

[Next #4]

[eurovision-song-bracket]

Quarter Finals - Poll 3

“SHUM”(Ukraine, 2021)

Propaganda -Green arms ftw; it's Slavic folk techno! I believe it was the first song to compete in Eurovision that was completely in Ukrainian (their previous 2020 entry would have been if it was not canceled). It was also the first Ukrainian Song to chart on Billboard global 200. The song, I feel, is an amazing song for Eurovision. It is electro folk, a wondrous combination of both historic culture, and modern culture. It also includes the use of a non English language, which I know is often a hit here, and something I feel is important to Eurovision itself, actually coming together by accepting each other when someone is showcasing their own culture. The song itself was intended to be different and more accurate to the folklore and songs it was based on, but was edited to fit Eurovision more while still having some of that meaning. Regarding the performance beyond the music there is some gorgeous choreography and symbolism done during the performance. 

“Queen of Kings” (Norway 2023)

[best-non-english-word-torunament]

Round one: 些, xiē vs Bah

(poll at the end)

些, xiē (Mandarin Chinese)

Pronunciation depends on the dialect of Mandarin, but here are a few ways (chosen based on variation):

Beijing: [ɕiɛ⁵⁵] Jinan: [ɕiə²¹³] Nanjing: [sie²¹²]

Translation: Some, a few, a bit

Chinese is a Sino-Tibetan macrolanguage (a dialect continuum consisting of different varieties that are distinct languages based the criterium of mutual intelligibility, but commonly referred to as a single language) with around 1 350 300 000 speakers that consists of 16 recognised languages, often referred to as dialects. Out of these, Mandarin Chinese is the largest, as 70% of Chinese speakers have it as their native language. The Beijing dialect of Mandarin forms the basis of Standard Chinese, which is the national language and taught in schools all over China.

Motivation: It's just really fun to write

(stroke order taken from wiktionary by me to illustrate)

Note: The word was submitted as a Chinese word, not a Mandarin one. Words written with the same character and with the same meaning exist in different Chinese languages, but the submitted romanisation matches the Mandarin one.

Bah (Brazilian Portuguese)

[ˈba]

Translation: An interjection that can be used in any situation depending on tone. It's used in the southernmost state in Brazil and characterizes its accent. Bah comes from the word "barbaridade" (barbarity), used in older gaúcho slang as such:

Person A: (ridiculous, usually negative thing) and then those teenagers stole my sheep!

Person B: (agreeing/sympathetic with A) what a barbaridade!

Nowadays it lost it's meaning as a WORD word, being used in any context as an interjection like this:

A: and then those teenagers stole my sheep!

B: Baaah! (sympathetic with A)

(more examples given by the submitter at the end of the post)

Portuguese is an Indo-European language belonging to the Romance branch originating from Portugal. Due to colonialism it is the main and official language of Brazil, where 213 million of its 264 million speakers live. Brazilian Portuguese is considered a dialect of Portuguese as they are mutually intelligible.

Motivation: The heart of every gaúcho's vocabulary. bah is perfect. I use it in every five sentences and I'm not exaggerating. it's the best word bc without it I would die

Note: Gaúcho refers either to a native or inhabitant of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, or a cowboy of the South American Pampas according to Wiktionary. I assume the submitter is referring to the former meaning, but I liked the other too much to leave it out, also the meanings are probably linked.

More examples from the submitter of bah:

When seeing something impressive: bóóóó

When watching something you know isn't gonna end well, at the moment it goes badly (like a missed goal in soccer, someone parking badly or drunk people doing something stupid): buhiii (oof/ouch, meaning cringe)

Person A: If they apologized and you sorted this whole thing out, there isn't a reason to cut them off Person B: Yeah, but I found out they cheated on their last girlfriend... Person A: Bah. Yeah you’re right. (oh/shit/this face :/ , meaning that's stepping out of line, I tried to defend the subject but I can't deny your arguments)

Person A: Wanna go to the movies tonight? Person B: sure! -bahhh... I forgot I have some work to catch up on, I can't (ohhhh, meaning you remembered something, sad/apologetic tone)

Person A: They cancelled the concert! We're gonna have to wait for the next tour... Person B: Bahhhhhh I was so excited! (awww mannn/ughhh, meaning disappointment, frustration)

Person A: We’re finally gonna see The Concert From the Previous Example! Get your ticket ready so we can get in! Person B: Oh my god. I left it at home Person A: BA. (fuck)

[mayowitch]

Feudal Resistance in the English Rising of 1381

The English Rising of 1381 was a widespread movement throughout England, particularly concentrated around London to the South-East, in response to a wide variety of tributary factors, but precipitated primarily by the implementation of the Poll Tax exacerbating the existing economic pressure on individuals such as peasants, workers, and craftspeople by the Statute of Labourers (1351). While the Rising developed in a variety of ways throughout England, in this essay I focus on the activity and ideology of rebels around London and East Anglia, as the majority of accessible literature concerns this area, which provides a good base for analysis. Rebels utilised extant political and religious tradition as a key resource in guiding their aims and methods as well as providing a strong foundation for organisation, connection, and knowledge gathering. However, the traditional and conservative nature of these foundations also undermined the rebels’ ability to succeed independently.

To demonstrate this I will begin by suggesting how the English Rising can be understood as an evolution of previous local protests and how repertoires adjusted. This is followed by how the concept of the “wicked advisors” and serfdom was used to legitimise revolt against the king’s government, and devotion to the king seemingly remained disastrously unquestioned. Finally, I explore the importance of formal language and contracts, religious celebrations, and pre-existing interpersonal relationships to the Rising.

Protestors in the English Rising developed their repertoire by expanding on methods that were previously limited to local targets and issues. Potentially in part due to the intrusion of national legislature and judicial processes into seigneurial and village life, once local issues now operated at a larger scale of magnitude, and protest methods remained proportional. Disputes over mundane issues such as rent and villeinage are continuous throughout England before and after the English Rising and are characterised by some, such as Patrick Lantschner, as a routine aspect of medieval English governance, wherein “revolts were not, in general at least, an antithesis, subversion or pathology of the political order”, but only “intensifications of existing processes of negotiation”.[1] [2] The Statute of Labourers (1351) removed much responsibility from employers to provide acceptable wages and conditions, as national law forbid negotiation.[3] This is not, however, to say that there was not still societal anger directed at the continued wealth of the privileged in England who profited from the abuse of English workers. Justices invariably came from the gentry, with vested interests aligning with that of lords of manors and there is certainly intersectionality between government officials and nobility.[4] The targets of rebel violence are highly suggestive of this shift in aims, as rebels were extremely discriminating in their actions.[5] While destruction and looting of property were by far the most prevalent transgressions, the destruction of seigneurial documents was rare, as were attacks on lords themselves.[6] Only five of the 62 violent incidents in the Cambridgeshire countryside were directed against feudal or manorial targets, which is in stark contrast with the 44 incidents directed at judicial and political targets.[7] This suggests that rebels generally prioritised exerting pressure on key governmental figures, and adapted their repertoire of violence to focus on the destruction of wealth rather than seigneurial documents, which had lost significance due to national policies.[8]

Through legitimising themselves as defenders of the king against wicked advisors, rebels operated within a framework of patriotism and religious morality. Accusing Richard II’s advisors rather than the king himself allowed rebels to express frustration with the governance of England without contradicting the divine basis of England’s monarchy. This both defended the rebels from accusations of being unchristian and immoral but in comparison depicted the advisors as unholy manipulators perverting and corrupting the holy office of the King.[9] Internally, this legitimation may have filled rebels with a sense of righteousness or duty to remove the corrupting influence that had led the king, and by extension the country, astray. Conceptually, the evil counsellors were vague enough to encompass a variety of ideologies, binding together disparate parts that may not have all aligned with programs such as the more radical teachings of John Ball, and were malleable and actionable enough to condone a range of actions, so long as they were performed with crowd approval.[10] However, in their loyalty to Richard II, the rebels appear to have been inhibited in their ability to develop a sufficiently coherent, common ideology or establish an alternate leader.[11] By maintaining the king as their non-cooperative figurehead, disparate groups and their local leaders ultimately left themselves at the monarchy’s mercy, and were severely constrained in their ability to organise when eventually contradicted by Richard II.[12] [13]

A key feature of the rebels' claims, an end to serfdom, represented a desire for a far more drastic change to the social structure of medieval England. The social stratification of the Rising is approximately reflective of total social proportions, and rural workers such as peasants never constituted more than half the protesters.[14] [15] Nevertheless, the issue of serfdom was one of the most persistently presented issues by rebels despite competing with the Poll Tax and malicious influences on the King.[16] The prominence of these demands may be due to it being used as a symbol of a general struggle against seigneurial oppression and a call for a complete end to lordship.  Most notably John Ball, but also Wat Tyler and likely many more considering both wielded demonstrable mass support, envisioned a future beyond the tripartite structure of feudal society, leaving no intermediary beyond a single bishop between the king and the body of his kingdom.[17] Within this radical emptying of social category is expressed a desire for the English political structure to have shielded, rather than beleaguered, the disempowered common people, as well as to preserve the essence of the existing system while removing as much of the offensive privilege and wealth as possible.[18] This is furthered by the fact that sources of existing authority were excluded from any place in rebel ideology and leadership, apart from priests who were already excommunicated by the Church, such as Ball.[19] However, even these most radical rebels notably continued to cling to the feudal system and the king's ultimate necessity, relying on Christianity and the monarchy to legitimise their cause. This further demonstrates how the legitimation of the rebels of the English Rising was self-sabotaging in that it relied upon cues from the same system which it simultaneously tried to diminish.

Rebels of the English Rising frequently employed formalised language and conventions typically reclusive to nobility or the judicial system. Through the utilisation of officious language such as bonum commune (common good) and res publica (republic or ‘public thing’) rebels criticised the hypocrisy of English authorities’ paternalistic stance and essentialist distinctions surrounding the intelligence and moral character of social strata such as peasants, craftsmen, clergy, and nobility.[20] The selection of Latin in particular is especially notable due to its association with religious and administrative purposes. The wielding of this language is itself an act of defiance against the exclusivity of ways of expression and by extension ways of thinking. The distinctions of the social hierarchy were further blurred by the use of formalised contracts between rebels, wherein common folk swore fealty to one another and to their cause.[21] While according to the chronicles many of these bonds were coerced, they in any case attest to the capacity of the rebels to gain, swear in, and mobilise a significant mass following, as well as to their ingenuity in the appropriation of the tools of those elevated in society to fulfil their own agenda.[22]  Additionally, when considered in tandem with Ball’s vision of the destruction of hierarchical ordering, these oaths also further undermine the legitimacy of the feudal system as a whole. For an unfree English peasant, the appropriation of contracts and terminology may be perceived as just as significantly radical in their implications as any armed insurrection, as they represent a disregard for the presumed social order and a kind of intellectual rebellion.[23]

The celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi on June 13th was used by the rebels to embolden and inspire those around London with religious zeal and traditional ritual festivity. Corpus Christi marked the entrance of the rebels of Essex and Kent into London and the unification of “neighbours and friends”, as described in the Continuatio Euogii, within the walls of the city.[24] This congregation of like-minded rebels and the revelry of the holiday gave religious significance and energy to the rebels’ actions that greatly empowered and influenced their actions. This energy may also have been derived from the commandeering of the typically carefully controlled celebration of the Church to fulfil their own desires, simultaneously bringing their spirituality and politics into their control. The Rising's gleeful abandon is expressed through several protest methods, such as a procession of decapitated heads marched through London and the crying of “A revelle! A revelle!” (as in revel, or boisterous enjoyment) during the destruction of the Savoy Palace.[25] Particularly notable is the use of one of John of Gaunt’s vestments to construct an effigy of him outside the Savoy to be used as a target for archery before being taken down and eviscerated in anger by the crowd.[26] This example of the entwinement of carnivalesque activities with symbolic violence suggests the power of the shared identity and knowledge the Feast provided: a collective understanding through which rebellious actions could be not only interpreted but enjoyed by participants.[27] Although the chronicles' descriptions of these methods are intended to evoke the grotesque barbarity and impropriety of the common people, they also suggest underlying and empowering ideas of community and equality within the suspension of social difference bestowed by the festivities, within which rebels refuse to accept customs of polite deference and paternalism.[28]

Another key factor in the proliferation of the English Rising was the utilisation of existing knowledge and experience of political activity and strong relationships between urban and rural people. The judicial and fiscal expansion evident between the late twelfth and the mid-fourteenth centuries brought a greater number of people into direct contact with news of the actions of the royal government, the king, and the nobility.[29] They were aware of its impact on their lives as their objects, agents, and victims, and it is certain that peasants and rural artisans had knowledge and opinions about politics.[30] Furthermore, villages had extensive experience in implementing this knowledge and organising themselves, and in many places were almost completely in control of enforcing bylaws at the time of the Rising.[31] In the medieval period, distinctions between political and personal differed greatly to modern conceptions: an insult to a family member or neighbour was an affront to the entire community, and the collective responded accordingly. [32] By drawing upon this extensive political experience, rural and urban England were interconnected not merely ideologically, but socially. These connections were a vital resource in the growth of the Rising as a mass movement that pervaded much of England. Much of the organisation of the Rising was likely improvised, forming a dense web of communities and institutions, only searching for outside leadership once the Rising had gained momentum as a mass movement, such as in the appeal from the people of St Albans to Wat Tyler.[33] [34] Unity was not necessarily created by a centralised focus on London, but through connections between the villages, towns, counties, and guilds that made up the countryside’s rich social and political landscape.  Although events throughout England were inevitably influenced by the status of its capital, movements in other areas of the country generally operated independently of London, each node of rebellion taking place based on the region’s familiar local political environment.[35]

Thus, the English Rising drew largely traditional feudal and Christian tools to empower themselves strategically and ideologically against those who created them. Through the appropriation of formalised and legal language, holidays, and experience of seigneurial disputes, as well as the commonality of living under these structures, rebels created forms of protest that questioned the existing social order. However, despite its unprecedented size as a mass movement and success in ostensibly seizing the capital, the trust and reliance of the Rising’s actors on these paternalist systems of power ultimately prevented them from achieving significant political change.

[1] Rodney Hilton, Bond Men Made Free: Medieval Peasant Movements and the English Rising Of 1381, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Taylor & Francis Group, 2003), 146.

[2] Justine Firnhaber-Baker, “Introduction: Medieval Revolt in Context,” in The Routledge History Handbook of Medieval Revolt, ed. Justine Firnhaber-Baker and Dirk Schoenaers (London: Routledge, 2017), 4.

[3] Edward III and his council, “The Statute of Labourers, 1351,” in The Peasants Revolt of 1381, trans. and ed. Richard Dobson (London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 1983), 63-68.

[4] Hilton, Bond Men Made Free, 154.

[5] Mingjie Xu, “Analysing the Actions of the Rebels in the English Revolt of 1381: The Case of Cambridgeshire,” Economic History Review, 75 no. 3 (August 2022): 887, doi.org/10.1111/ehr.13122.

[6] Xu, 891.

[7] Xu 891.

[8] Hilton, Bond Men Made Free, 139.

[9] Joel Rosenthal, “The King’s “Wicked Advisers” and Medieval Baronial Rebellions,” Political Science Quarterly 82 no. 4 (1967): 597, doi.org/10.2307/2148080.

[10] Rosenthal, 596.

[11] Paul Strohm, Hochon’s Arrow: The Social Imagination of Fourteenth-Century Texts, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992), 41.

[12] Strohm, 41.

[13] Hilton, Bond Men Made Free, 219.

[14] Hilton, 184.

[15] Paul Strohm, “A “Peasants’ Revolt”?,” in Misconceptions About the Middle Ages, ed. Stephen Harris and Bryon L. Grigsby (New York: Routledge, 2010), 197.

[16] Hilton, Bond Men Made Free, 224.

[17] Hilton, 227.

[18] Strohm, Hochon’s Arrow, 41.

[19] Strohm, 56.

[20] Firnhaber-Baker, “Introduction: Medieval Revolt in Context,” 4.

[21] Strohm, Hochon’s Arrow, 39.

[22] Strohm, 40.

[23] Firnhaber-Baker, “Introduction: Medieval Revolt in Context,” 6.

[24] Continuatio Eulogii: The Continuation of the Eulogium Historiarum, 1364-1413, trans. and ed. Chris Given-Wilson (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2019), 39.

[25] Strohm, Hochon’s Arrow, 47.

[26] Thomas Walsingham, “Historia Anglicana” in in The Peasants Revolt of 1381, trans. and ed. Richard Dobson (London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 1983), 70.

[27] Strohm, Hochon’s Arrow, 49.

[28] Strohm, 47.

[29] Christopher Fletcher, “News, Noise, and the Nature of Politics in Late Medieval English Provincial Towns,” Journal of British Studies, 56, no. 2 (2017): 250, doi.org/10.1017/jbr.2017.1.

[30] Firnhaber-Baker, “Introduction: Medieval Revolt in Context,” 6.

[31] Hilton, Bond Men Made Free, 217.

[32] Sylvia Federico, “The Imaginary Society: Women in 1381,” Journal of British Studies, 40, no. 2 (2001): 182, doi.org/10.1086/386239.

[33] Firnhaber-Baker, “Introduction: Medieval Revolt in Context,” 6.

[34] Hilton, Bond Men Made Free, 219.

[35] Hilton, 140.

[villalactea]

Behind the Audio - Responsible Catgirl Looks After You! (Original Script)

Based on a recent poll, I wanted to try my hand specifically at writing a domestic fluff script, incorporating what I've liked from previous audios I've done.

This was actually my second original script on the channel. My first original published script didn't do so well, even for the lower number of views I had on my channel half a year ago. I think it was just the fact that couldn't promote it on the ASMRScriptHaven subreddit, and it's also really vanilla comapred to most of my other stuff!

Anyway, this one was admittedly a bit more fun! It's a lot more flirty and intimate, which is always fun to try!

I will admit, I'm always a bit nervous to get too flirty on a published recording because I am normally never like that IRL! I also never know how to safely respond to flirty comments back, I literally freeze up sometimes!

That being said, the "responsible" role I take in this audio is a little bit like me IRL. I am usually pretty punctual and tend to stress about getting things done on time. I still hella procrastinate, but I'm usually always thinking about the next thing to do.

Also, lines in Spanish! In addition to helping me with feeling better about my voice, I want to eventually make more videos with/in Spanish! Despite it technically being my first language, my live Spanish is tragically bad! But I wanna change that!

This one was pretty short, because I really liked the pacing of the different moments in the script, and I didn't know how else to fluff it up! But like I said, I'm glad how it all came together! I hope you enjoy it just as much!

[llivo-team]

Why Your Profile Picture Matters More Than Your Kitchen

In the sprawling digital bazaar of short-term rentals, you might think that granite countertops and rain showers are what seal the deal. But you’d be wrong. In the world of human-centered travel experiences offered through Llivo, it turns out that your smile might be worth more than your stainless steel appliances.

Yes, a kitchen is functional. A profile picture? Foundational. It’s your virtual handshake—the invitation to trust, warmth, and hospitality. And in the Llivo world, where rooms for rent in DFW and rooms for rent in San Francisco go beyond just space and shelter, your face tells a story that travelers are desperate to believe in.

First Impressions Are Emotional, Not Architectural

Forget the glossy wide-angle shots of your backsplash. A profile picture can convey openness, friendliness, and—perhaps most importantly—safety. Guests are searching not just for a place, but for a person they can count on. In fact, a recent report by Harvard Business Review found that visual cues like facial expression significantly influence trust-building.

On Llivo, this is magnified. We are not just about listings—we’re about connections.

"A kind face invites trust. A beautiful kitchen invites envy." — an old host saying we just made up.

The Llivo Ethos: People First, Property Second

Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that travel is about human encounters, not just accommodations. That's why Llivo’s Story began with a real relationship, not a real estate strategy. We believe that travelers are looking for people, not properties.

That’s why your profile should:

Feature a clear, natural, and warm photo of you (or your hosting team)

Be accompanied by a short, heartfelt bio

Reflect your personality more than your professional aspirations

Platforms like Airbnb have often overemphasized what you offer. Llivo emphasizes who you are.

The Psychology of Choice: Trust Over Tiles

According to the Llivo Internal Guest Behavior Poll conducted in Q1 2025, 63% of surveyed guests indicated that a host's profile picture and bio were the most important factors influencing their booking decisions. In comparison, 29% prioritized the quality and presentation of interior property photos, while only 8% considered the listed amenities to be a key deciding factor. This data highlights the significant impact of a host’s personal presentation over the physical features of the property.

This isn't to say your home shouldn’t be beautiful. But a sparkling profile leads to more messages, more bookings, and more positive reviews—which in turn drives visibility.

Want to boost your chances even further? Check out our post on How to Create a Standout Listing and Maximize Rental Income.

Final Thoughts: Humans Rent From Humans

The heart of Llivo is not the location. It’s not the price. It’s you. When someone scrolls through listings of[rooms for rent in DFW or rooms for rent in San Francisco, what stands out is not the furniture—but the face.

So take a minute today. Upload a profile picture that feels like you’re greeting someone at the door. Because with Llivo, you kind of are.

Khurram Iqbal Founder of LLIVO, Volunteer Blog Writer for LLIVO | IT Leader | Expert in Consolidation & Modernization | Creative Content Creator | Ideation Specialist | Former Assistant Vice President | Previous Professor of English Language & Literature

Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on personal experiences and publicly available insights. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, LLIVO and the author are not responsible for any changes or discrepancies in information. Always verify details relevant to your travel needs.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Ricky Martin - María (Pablo Flores remix) 1995

"María" is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his third studio album, A Medio Vivir (1995), and was released as the second single from the album on November 21, 1995. Musically, "María" is a Spanish-language flamenco, dance, and salsa song, featuring elements of mariachi, samba, cumbia, Latin, African, Caribbean, and Latin pop. On the remix, Puerto Rican DJ Pablo Flores upped the tempo and the sex appeal of the song, turning the slow-burn flamenco laced track into an up-tempo samba tune in a house bassline. The remix version became more popular than the original one. "María" became Martin's breakthrough song and his first international hit. It topped the charts in 20 countries, and has sold over five million physical copies worldwide. As a result, the song was featured in the 1999 edition of The Guinness Book of Records as the biggest Latin hit. It was also the Song of the Summer in Spain in 1996 and was the second best-selling single in the world that year.

In Australia, "María" spent six weeks at number one. It topped the country's year-end chart in 1998, and was certified platinum. The song topped the Ultratop Wallonia chart of Belgium for 10 consecutive weeks and was certified double platinum. It spent nine weeks at number one in France and was certified diamond. It went number one in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. In the US, "María" peaked at number six on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks chart, giving Martin his fifth top 10 hit. The song also reached numbers two and eight on the US Latin Pop Songs and Tropical/Salsa charts, respectively. The first accompanying music videos for the original song and Pablo Flores remix were filmed in La Boca, a barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Following "(Un, Dos, Tres) María"'s success in France, a re-made version of the video for the Pablo Flores remix was filmed in Paris and aired in 1998.

Although Martin was satisfied with the track and he describes it as a song that he is "extremely proud of", the first time he played it for a record label executive, the man said: "Are you crazy? You have ruined your career! I can't believe you are showing me this. You're finished — this is going to be your last album." In an interview with Rolling Stone, he told the magazine that "everybody got scared. They said, 'What are you doing? This is the end of your career. […] You do ballads, and now you're doing Latin sounds. The album is not going to work.'"

In 2018, Cadena Dial hailed the song as the most famous song of the last 24 years. In the same year, Rolling Stone ranked "María (Pablo Flores Remix)" as the 27th Greatest Latin Pop Song of All Time. Also, according to ABC, "María" was voted the favorite song of the summer of all time in Spain, based on a study in 2011. Amazon Music ranked the track as the 31st best-ever Latin hit. It was recognized as one of the best-performing songs of the year at the 1997 BMI Latin Awards. "María" was the main theme of the Brazilian telenovela Salsa e Merengue (1996–1997). The song is available on the main setlist for the dance video game Just Dance 2014. "María (Pablo Flores Spanglish Radio Edit)" was featured in the American animated comedy film Despicable Me 3 (2017).

"María" received a total of 71,8% yes votes! Previous Ricky Martin polls: #132 "La Bomba".

[doyouknowthisfemalecharavoice]

INFO AND FAQ . . .

Hey there, thanks for swinging by! This blog is a polling blog where you listen to a short clip of a female character from a random piece of media and answer based on if you recognize them or not!

Every day at around 5PM EST, 3 submissions will be posted and their polls opened. Additionally, polls from the previous week will be closed and their answers revealed.

This blog is ran with love by @spark-glow, a two-spirited femme lesbian and certified woman enthusiast. More info about me is in the read more! I may at times forgo making posts in favor of resting. Try to be understanding. TERFS are not welcome here under any circumstances.

SUBMISSIONS ARE: OPEN

Do not use the ask box for submissions. Instead, use the form found here.

A list of past character submissions can be found here. ACTIVE TAGS . . .

#open vote : Polls that are open to voting.

#closed vote : Polls from the past that are closed now.

#polls : All polls, regardless of status.

#reveals : All character reveals.

#asks : All asks or questions.

#off topic : Anything not directly related to polls.

GENERAL FAQ . . .

Q: What can be submitted?

Official voice lines from fictional characters only. This means ONLY quotes from an official portrayal, not a fanmade work. It's recommended that you go for quotes that are as ambiguous as possible, and never ones that say the character's name or title. Try to avoid quotes that will make it super obvious what the source material is.

Avoid submitting characters who's voicelines are unclear or in 'gibberish', such as Animal Crossing characters or Okami characters. Additionally, do not submit lines that are wildly profane or abnormally loud.

Otherwise, voice lines in any language are acceptable. You may also submit lines from official dub overs! Please be sure to provide translations.

If you don't know if your character qualifies, do not be afraid to ask for clarification!

Q: Can we put the answer in tags?

I politely request you avoid doing this, as it ruins the fun of the game. If you simply must say something, then try and cipher it with rot13. Vague hints are okay, but please don't go overboard. I of course cannot control what people say, so please be wary when checking the tags or replies if you want to remain unspoiled!

Q: I'm unsure if my submission counts as a female character.

Any character that is canonically referred to as a woman or something akin to it is allowed. I'm well aware, more than most, that the experience of womanhood is varied and complicated and that some characters aren't going to slot in as cleanly as others. Just try to use your best judgement. At worst, I'll simply deny the submission if I find it doesn't fit.

Q: What happens if the same character is submitted by two people at the same time?

Both quotes from the character will be posted in the same poll in that case, rather than do two separate polls.

Q: I would like to submit a character that's already been posted. What do I do?

If it's been a considerable length of time, like... months, then you may submit the character again. Do NOT do the same voice line again, please. Try and mix it up!

Q: My submission wasn't posted.

I reserve the right to deny submission for any reason. Additionally, I may put off certain posts to make sure things stay fresh. If it hasn't been rejected, it'll be posted! Just try and stay patient.

Q: I've noticed that a transcript is wrong. What do I do?

I can only go off what I'm given, so I'm bound to make some mistakes. Don't be afraid to reach out to me if anything I post isn't correctly transcribed, sourced, or warned for! I'll get it fixed right away.

Q: Who are you?

My name's Nautica! My pronouns are it/its, and as mentioned far above, i'm a two-spirited femme lesbian. I'm in my late 20's and i'm studying zoology, paleontology, and vet medicine. Happy to be here, and glad to meet you. :)

I look like this, if you're wondering. ^

If you send me an ask telling me your favorite dinosaur, I'll tell you a fun fact about it.

[facebookindustry]

A successful Facebook marketing strategy for 2024 requires a deep understanding of the platform's evolving features, algorithms, and user behavior. With over 2.9 billion active users, Facebook remains a powerful tool for businesses to build brand awareness, drive sales, and engage with their audience. Here's a comprehensive strategy to optimize your Facebook marketing efforts in 2024:

1. Set Clear, Measurable Goals

Start by defining what you want to achieve on Facebook. Your goals will guide your content creation, ad strategy, and overall approach. Typical goals include:

Brand Awareness: Increase recognition and visibility of your brand.

Lead Generation: Collect email addresses or contact information for future sales.

Sales and Conversions: Drive traffic to your website or e-commerce store to convert visitors into customers.

Community Engagement: Build a loyal community of followers and brand advocates.

2. Refine Your Target Audience

Facebook offers highly detailed targeting options, but it’s crucial to know your ideal audience inside and out. Use the following to define your audience:

Demographics: Age, gender, location, language, relationship status.

Interests: Based on user activity and engagement.

Behaviors: Purchase behavior, device usage, travel habits, etc.

Lookalike Audiences: Create a Lookalike Audience from your best customers to expand your reach with similar people.

Custom Audiences: Upload customer data (email lists, website traffic, etc.) for hyper-targeting.

3. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

Content is still king. To stand out on Facebook, you need to create content that resonates with your audience.

Video Content: Facebook prioritizes video content, especially native videos (videos uploaded directly to Facebook). Short-form video content (15-30 seconds) tends to perform well, but long-form content can also be effective for deeper engagement.

Facebook Live: Live broadcasts remain a powerful tool for engagement, helping to increase real-time interaction with your audience.

User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your brand, whether it’s through reviews, testimonials, or content that they create themselves.

Carousel Posts & Slideshows: Showcase multiple products or services in a single post, making it interactive and engaging.

Stories: Use Facebook Stories to share quick updates, behind-the-scenes content, limited-time offers, or personal moments that humanize your brand. Stories are more likely to get noticed because of their format and visibility.

Memes and Interactive Content: Depending on your brand’s tone, memes, polls, quizzes, and challenges can increase engagement and virality.

4. Leverage Facebook Ads

Facebook's advertising platform is one of the most powerful tools for driving conversions. To maximize its potential:

Ad Formats: Test a variety of ad formats, such as image ads, video ads, carousel ads, and collection ads.

Retargeting: Use Facebook’s retargeting features to reach people who have previously interacted with your brand. Create custom audiences based on website visits, engagement with past ads, or email subscribers.

Dynamic Ads: If you have an e-commerce store, dynamic ads are great for showing personalized product recommendations to users based on their previous interactions.

A/B Testing: Constantly test your ads to optimize for higher ROI. Test different ad copy, images, and audiences to find the most effective combinations.

Ad Budget Optimization: Use Facebook’s “Campaign Budget Optimization” feature to let the platform allocate your budget to the highest-performing ads automatically.

5. Optimize for Facebook’s Algorithm

Facebook’s algorithm favors content that generates engagement and fosters meaningful interactions. To ensure your content reaches more people, focus on the following:

Consistency is Key: Post regularly, but ensure your content provides value.

Engagement-First Content: Posts that receive likes, comments, and shares early on tend to get a bigger reach. Encourage your followers to interact with your posts.

Use Facebook’s Native Features: Facebook rewards brands that use native features like polls, events, and stickers.

Facebook Groups: Engage in or create your own Facebook Groups. Groups are often prioritized in the feed because they foster community engagement.

Prioritize Content that Encourages Conversations: Ask questions, post thought-provoking content, and create discussions that make users want to comment or share.

6. Utilize Facebook Insights and Analytics

Facebook provides detailed insights and analytics that can guide your strategy. Regularly monitor metrics such as:

Engagement Rate: Measures how well your audience is interacting with your posts.

Click-Through Rate (CTR): Indicates how often users click on your links.

Reach and Impressions: Shows how many people see your content.

Conversion Rate: Tracks the number of actions (e.g., purchases, form submissions) taken as a result of your campaigns.

Audience Demographics: Helps you understand the age, gender, and interests of the people interacting with your posts.

Use these insights to fine-tune your content and ad campaigns for maximum impact.

7. Increase Organic Reach Through Social Proof

Social proof is a powerful tool for growing your audience and building trust. Ways to leverage social proof include:

Reviews and Testimonials: Positive feedback from customers can increase credibility and encourage others to purchase or engage with your brand.

Influencer Partnerships: Work with micro and macro influencers to extend your reach and build credibility with their followers.

Engage with Comments: Respond to comments on your posts and messages to build a rapport and encourage further interactions.

8. Embrace Facebook Messenger and Chatbots

Facebook Messenger is a critical channel for customer communication and can be used for:

Customer Support: Provide instant support via Messenger.

Lead Generation: Use Messenger to capture leads through automated sequences.

Sales: Use Messenger to guide customers through the purchase process.

Chatbots: Automate interactions using Facebook's chatbot integration to answer FAQs, guide users to products, or set up appointments.

9. Stay on Top of Facebook’s New Features and Updates

Facebook regularly rolls out new features, which can provide new ways to engage with your audience. Be sure to:

Keep up with Facebook’s announcements for updates on algorithm changes, new ad formats, or tools like Facebook Shops.

Experiment with new features as soon as they become available to stay ahead of the curve.

10. Monitor and Adapt to Trends

As user behavior evolves, so should your strategy. Stay updated on the latest trends, such as:

Short-Form Video: TikTok’s success has influenced Facebook’s video strategy. Short, snappy videos are a great way to engage users.

Social Commerce: Facebook Shops and Marketplace are becoming increasingly important for businesses selling products directly on the platform.

Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Consumers care more than ever about sustainability, ethics, and corporate social responsibility, so incorporate these aspects into your messaging.

Conclusion

Facebook marketing in 2024 is about adapting to new trends, using sophisticated targeting, and creating engaging, authentic content. By understanding your audience, leveraging Facebook's powerful tools, and keeping a pulse on the platform's evolution, you can stay competitive and maximize your brand's presence on Facebook.

If you need specific help creating ad campaigns or strategies, feel free to ask!